Tim Hortons out of MLG name game

Tim Hortons is off the list of companies Ryerson University will sell the naming rights of Maple Leaf Gardens (MLG) to.

On March 22, the Eyeopener got an exclusive tour of MLG and saw rendered blueprints and images of the completed arena. While the images didn’t look any different from the original plans, Tim Hortons’ name was all along the borders of the rink and on the jumbotron looming above the ice.

“It was just [there] in order to have a placeholder,” said Adam Kahan, Vice President of University Advancement. “Tim Hortons is not the naming donor.”

Kahan said there would be more information in May, but Ryerson president Sheldon Levy hinted MLG could be named by then.

While Kahan confirmed that Tim Hortons will not have its name alongside Ryerson University and Maple Leaf Gardens on the building, he did say that the university is in talks with them about other opportunities.

“We are in discussions with them about various partnership and support opportunities but nothing has been confirmed,” Kahan said. “Sometime in May we will confirm where we are [in terms of the naming donor].

Ryerson’s President Sheldon Levy said that although Ryerson was in talks with Tim Hortons to sponsor parts of MLG, the never got back to them. “As far as I know, we are not talking to [Tim Hortons] anymore,” he said.

“They never go back to us … if they wanted to become engaged with the Gardens … then we are always open for discussion.”